Serving Franklin County, WA
Serving Franklin County, WA
Sorted by date Results 1 - 10 of 10
SPOKANE — National Weather Service officials are tracking a powerful cold front that will be passing through the region this weekend, bringing with it the potential for very strong winds on Sunday into Monday that could create blowing dust conditions and damage from downed trees and power lines. Projections at a Friday press briefing are for winds increasing throughout the day on Sunday. Peak speeds reaching 45-40 miles per hour in the Columbia Basin and Spokane regions and 5...
OLYMPIA – The deadline to remove studded tires from vehicles is Wednesday, March 31. State law requires the removal on that day; thereafter, drivers can be fined $136 for continuing to use studded tires. The law applies to out-of-state visitors, as well as residents, officials said. Tire businesses can get busy with removal this time of year, so state officials are suggesting residents make an appointment ahead of time. State crews will continue to monitor roads, passes and forecasts to clear any late season snow or ice, o...
OLYMPIA — Starting May 10, anglers will have an opportunity to catch and retain legal-size white sturgeon in the lower 40 miles of the Columbia River. Fishery managers from Washington and Oregon agreed Thursday to open the sturgeon fishery on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays through June 5, from the Wauna powerlines, which cross Puget Island near Cathlamet, downriver to Buoy 10 at the mouth of the Columbia River. Adjacent Washington tributaries will also be open for sturgeon fishing those days. Sturgeon fishing (...
LIND – Adams County commissioners have officially recognized the contributions of a local civic leader who passed away earlier this month at the age of 88. On March 15, commissioners passed Resolution No. R-015-2021 honoring former Commissioner William "Bill" Wills, who died March 2, 2021. Wills served as a county commissioner for three terms, from January 1989 through December 2000. He then served on the Lind Town Council from 2002-08. Wills served previously in the U.S. A...
Last week, the Legislature got a terrific piece of news. State tax collections have rebounded despite one of the worst economic situations we’ve ever faced. The latest projection adds $3.3 billion, and we’re right back where we were before COVID-19-related shutdown orders. The strange thing about it was the reaction of our Democratic colleagues. They said they wouldn’t let this good news stand in the way of their effort to impose an income tax on the people of Washi...
Everybody associates March 17 with St. Patrick's Day, that one holiday in which we are all encouraged to wear green. Around the Capitol last week, March 17 brought a different meaning of "green." That morning, the state Economic Revenue and Forecast Council announced the first state-revenue forecast for this year showed a surprisingly large increase of $3.3 billion through the 2021-23 budget cycle and $5.2 billion over the next four years. It is the largest positive quarterly...
OLYMPIA — The state's new Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention will coordinate intervention and prevention strategies to address community gun violence. The new office has an annual operating budget of $421,000. The funds will be used for gun violence intervention and prevention in minority communities with the highest populations of shooters and victims in the highest risk communities, officials said. The office was created by under legislation sponsored by Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, last y...
OLYMPIA — State and Oregon Fish and Wildlife commissioners will meet virtually next week to discuss policy for the shared waters of the Columbia River. Four members of the state Fish and Wildlife Commission and three of the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will meet from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday, March 31. Commissioners will hear presentations on global warming and the current status of Columbia River fish runs. Commissioners will also discuss setting concurrent fisheries. The digital meeting can be accessed online a...
WASHTUCNA — The School District is considering going to a four-day educational week on a permanent basis starting with the 2021-22 school year. A community forum is set for 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 30 to hear from the community about the possible change. The meeting in the Washtucna High School gymnasium, 730 N.E. Booth St., will include a question-and-answer session. Both in-person and online participation is available. Those attending in person should arrive 15 minutes early for a temperature check and c...
OTHELLO — A Warden man was killed early this morning, Friday, March 26, in a three-vehicle crash on state Highway 17 in Grant County. Froylan D. Valdivia, 57, of Warden, died at the scene before sunrise. The drivers of two other vehicles were injured and transported to an area hospital. The conditions of Abel Juarez Avila, 30, of Connell, and Arturo R. Fernandez, 26, of Ephrata, were not immediately available. Valdivia's 2000 Chevrolet didn't have any lights turned on at the time of the pre-dawn crash at 4:47 a.m., the W...